"Missing my Olympic medal was a very bad news. But there is a good news as well," Azerbaijan weightlifter Valentin Hristov who has been deprived of a bronze medal he won at the London 2012 Summer Olympic Games has said.
The 25-year-old athlete was glad that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Disciplinary Commission did not make a tougher decision: “They could disqualify me for life. I am very glad and think about continuing my career and regaining success. Hristov said he lives in Baku and does not think about finishing his career. “The sentence will expire in 2023. I'm not thinking about ending my career."
Notably, the IOC Disciplinary Commission revealed that Hristov violated anti-doping rules during the Olympics. It was determined as a result of repeated doping tests. Consequently, the results of the Bulgarian legionary in the Olympics were canceled. His bronze medal in the 56kg weight category was given to the winner of the 4th place Vietnamese Le Quoc Toan Tran.